Sapphires are highly valued gemstones, often worn by royalty and included in crown jewels. They can be blue, pink, or white, and some change color depending on lighting. Star sapphires exhibit a six-pointed star and their value depends on size, color, clarity, and visibility of inclusions. Some jewelers use heating techniques to deepen or alter the color of a gemstone, but opinions on this practice are divided.
Sapphires have been prized gemstones for centuries. Due to their brilliant hues, sapphires have been worn by royalty and even included in crown jewels. For example, the imperial crown of the Pahlavi dynasty of Iran, which was the last dynasty to rule the country, includes a twenty-carat sapphire. One particular sapphire brooch was prized at the Russian imperial court. The brooch consists of a sapphire over 260 carats in size that is surrounded by over 55 carats of diamonds.
While sapphires are loved for their deep cerulean color, they are often enjoyed for their color variations as well. A sapphire can be pink or white, instead of blue. Also, there are some special sapphires that actually change color depending on your lighting. However, one of the most interesting sapphires is the star sapphire.
A star sapphire is a lovely gem that exhibits a six-pointed star due to the intersection of six thin inclusions. When the gem is illuminated from above, the inclusions become quite visible and the star shape appears. One of the most impressive star sapphires in the world is in the Smithsonian Institution. The Bombay star is a stunning 182-carat oval sapphire.
Like any type of gemstone, the quality of a star sapphire varies based on a number of factors. The size, color and clarity of the stone are, of course, just as important as they are with other stones. Inclusions, which are typically made from the mineral rutile, also add or detract from the stone’s value. If the star is quite visible, the star sapphire is likely to be quite valuable. Inclusions that are less visible or cloudy will not produce a highly valued Star Sapphire.
It has become common practice to use heating techniques to deepen or alter the color of a gemstone. These techniques are also sometimes used to increase the visibility of inclusions within a star sapphire. In the age of synthetic gemstones and color alteration techniques, many jewelers and gem collectors have strong feelings about these practices. Some people feel that these techniques are wonderful because they can enhance the beauty of stones or make unmined gemstones. Others, however, are against these practices and feel that natural sparkling stones are better than their counterparts. It is interesting to note, however, that even with star sapphires, a strong microscope is needed to tell whether or not the gem has been heat treated.
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